Letter: Should Christians be open to other religions?

Hafey Jones is a resident of Gastonia.

By Hafey Jones

Published: Monday, July 8, 2013 at 06:58 AM.

Growing up after World War II many of us were told and believed that there was only one true religion. Anyone other than Christians were thought to be in need of conversion to the “true” faith. This I believed well into adulthood and beyond. I had little or no knowledge of religion beyond a local interpretation of Christianity. My world, our world has changed drastically over the years.

People from religions other than Christian have migrated into our country. Some follow Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Taoism among other faiths and may live in our neighborhoods. What can we do to better understand our new neighbors? While some Christian churches participate in interdenominational or interfaith meetings, others do not. Perhaps some older Christians will have the most trouble relating to those of a religion other than the one they have known since childhood and believe to be the only true faith. Some Christians will be threatened by these new neighbors, especially their religion.

In the West we are probably not as suspicious of Buddhism and Hinduism and other faiths as we are of Islam. We have generally accepted that western civilization is superior to Muslim culture. History to us is an account with Europe and America as leaders of the world. The Greeks and Romans thought of themselves as civilized and everyone else as barbarians. Islam, which comes from the same tradition as Judaism and Christianity, was feared as a competitor. This suspicion and hate was expressed in the crusades. Not all Christians are fearful of all Muslims as all Muslims do not hate all Christians. What approach would work best for Christians and their churches toward other religions?

Having a better understanding of the religious beliefs of another person may be the best way to understand another human, exceeding political beliefs, work, clothing, language. Christians and non-Christians may meet at work, at play, while shopping. I can imagine some parents will have a son or daughter who will marry someone who is not a Christian, a Buddhist for example. What may follow will be a frontal attack on the religion of the non-Christian.

Many parents in this situation will understandably feel threatened. Some will seek to convert the son-in-law or daughter-in-law to the “true” religion. No attempt will be made to understand the religion of the new person in the family. This belief of religious exclusivity may cause tension among families, especially after a new baby comes. Some families will debate or possibly split over which religion the child should be taught? Is there a better way?

I believe a more productive way would be to first attempt to understand the religious beliefs of the non-Christian. Rather than attacking another’s religion, make an attempt to learn about his or her beliefs. Christians would face the opportunity to grow and mature in their faith, to be a more loving, thoughtful, knowledgeable person. The golden rule applies here: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” Using this approach the person of a non-Christian religion would likely be impressed by the interest of another in his or her religion.

While resisting the frontal attack or drawing into a shell, he or she possibly would be open to know about the faith of someone kind enough to inquire about their faith. Hopefully, a mutual sharing of beliefs would now be appropriate and beneficial to both sides, Christian and non-Christian alike. Harmony rather than discord and strife would be possible.

Growing up after World War II many of us were told and believed that there was only one true religion. Anyone other than Christians were thought to be in need of conversion to the “true” faith. This I believed well into adulthood and beyond. I had little or no knowledge of religion beyond a local interpretation of Christianity. My world, our world has changed drastically over the years.

People from religions other than Christian have migrated into our country. Some follow Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Taoism among other faiths and may live in our neighborhoods. What can we do to better understand our new neighbors? While some Christian churches participate in interdenominational or interfaith meetings, others do not. Perhaps some older Christians will have the most trouble relating to those of a religion other than the one they have known since childhood and believe to be the only true faith. Some Christians will be threatened by these new neighbors, especially their religion.

In the West we are probably not as suspicious of Buddhism and Hinduism and other faiths as we are of Islam. We have generally accepted that western civilization is superior to Muslim culture. History to us is an account with Europe and America as leaders of the world. The Greeks and Romans thought of themselves as civilized and everyone else as barbarians. Islam, which comes from the same tradition as Judaism and Christianity, was feared as a competitor. This suspicion and hate was expressed in the crusades. Not all Christians are fearful of all Muslims as all Muslims do not hate all Christians. What approach would work best for Christians and their churches toward other religions?

Having a better understanding of the religious beliefs of another person may be the best way to understand another human, exceeding political beliefs, work, clothing, language. Christians and non-Christians may meet at work, at play, while shopping. I can imagine some parents will have a son or daughter who will marry someone who is not a Christian, a Buddhist for example. What may follow will be a frontal attack on the religion of the non-Christian.

Many parents in this situation will understandably feel threatened. Some will seek to convert the son-in-law or daughter-in-law to the “true” religion. No attempt will be made to understand the religion of the new person in the family. This belief of religious exclusivity may cause tension among families, especially after a new baby comes. Some families will debate or possibly split over which religion the child should be taught? Is there a better way?

I believe a more productive way would be to first attempt to understand the religious beliefs of the non-Christian. Rather than attacking another’s religion, make an attempt to learn about his or her beliefs. Christians would face the opportunity to grow and mature in their faith, to be a more loving, thoughtful, knowledgeable person. The golden rule applies here: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” Using this approach the person of a non-Christian religion would likely be impressed by the interest of another in his or her religion.

While resisting the frontal attack or drawing into a shell, he or she possibly would be open to know about the faith of someone kind enough to inquire about their faith. Hopefully, a mutual sharing of beliefs would now be appropriate and beneficial to both sides, Christian and non-Christian alike. Harmony rather than discord and strife would be possible.

Huston Smith, Methodist minister and college professor, is author of The World’s Religions, a book which is both scholarly and impartial. He suggests a guiding principle in a world that is pluralistic if religious at all. There are obvious differences in religions. The differences are incidental compared to the truths on which they unite. Religions differ on that which is considered essential and what is negotiable.

Would it not be more Christian to look for whatever is honorable, virtuous, and decent in all religions rather than believing everything taught by non-Christian religions to be false? We assume we know more about most subjects than we actually do. To believe our religion is the only true one we would need to know and experience fully all the religions of the world, a knowledge and experience no one possesses. We cannot quote a text from our scriptures to make this untrue. Shouldn’t we stress what we agree on rather than that which is open to debate?